Life-saving appliance.



- Patented Oct. l0, I899. H. DE WILDE. LIFE SAVING APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Apr. 18, 1899.)

(No Model.)

IN VENTDI flu, aw

WIIAESSES' A ITURNEYS NITED STATE PATENT @rrrcn.

IIUBERT DE WILDE, OF GAND, BELGIUM.

LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,445, dated October10, 1899. Application filed April 18, 1899. Serial No. 713,487. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUBERT DE WILDE, merchant, a subject of the King ofBelgium, residing at 66 Pcherie, Gand, in the Kingdom of Belgium, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in or relating to Life-SavingAppliances, (for which applications have been filed in Belgium onSeptember 21, 1898, granted on September 30, 1898; in Germany on October11, 18 98; in France on March 20, 1899; in England on March 21, 1899; inDenmark on March 25, 1899; in Italy on March 29, 1899; in Norway onMarch 27, 1899; in Spain on March 27, 1899, and in Sweden on March 30,1899,) of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to the construction of a life-savingcollar or appliance made preferably of a floating or buoyant material,the parts being preferably of a particular shape in order to conform tothe part of the body to which the device is to be applied, the inventionalso relating to means for rapidly applying and securing the applianceto the user.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one ofthe component parts or buoyant bodies which together form the collar orappliance, showing the manner of stringing them on one or more cords orchains. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the whole of the collar and oneway of closing the collar. Fig. 3 is a half-section of the collar on theline X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a plan view of an appliance with a springdevice for rapidly closing the ends of same, and Fig. 5 is a view of thespring-rod.

The component parts of the appliance may be of any suitable section; butit is preferable to give them the shape of four-sided pyramids, such ashape being accompanied by tWoadvantages. The first consists in theirbeing easily adapted to the neck of the person, since the truncatedapices of the pyramids easily fit within the space between the head andthe shoulders, while a very strong surface toward the base is possible,resulting in a very great floating power, the latter being the second ofthe advantages which cannot be realized to such an extent by othershapes-such as,'-for instance, prismatic forms. The different parts areformed, preferably, from cork or any other substance which floatsnaturally, or they may be made hollow, say, of light metal, such asaluminium. The collar or appliance is formed by stringing a number ofthese parts A, according to the length required, on a cord or wire 0 c,passing through perforations Z in said parts, the lateral faces of whichmay be beveled or cutaway at B to allow of greater play or flexibilityand to render the application of the device easier. The two end pieces AA are prevented from coming off by forming knots or the like on the cord0 c at convenient distances apart. In order to avoid the several parts Abeing dis- -'placed as regards each other by turning around the cord 0c',-they may be held in position by two strong cords m '12, passed,respectively, through perforations G and R, parallel to the cord 0 c,and terminating by a knot or in any other way at the extreme end parts AA, thus forming a flexible appliance.

Any rapid means of attachment of the device to the body of the user maybe employed, such as a small flexible tie-chain D, as shown in Fig. 2.

One of the essential qualities of a life-saving appliance should be thatof being rapidly and conveniently applied by the person in danger. Aspring closing or seen ring device has therefore been devised, asrepresented in Figs. 4: and 5, which realizes every desideraturn andshould insure its use by all maritime agencies as well as on life-savingstations The cord or wire on which the solid parts are strung is herereplaced by a spring- Wire or a steel rod or strip bent into a .circleand provided in the middle with a helicoidal twist F, acting as aspring. The parts Aare strung over the ends of each of the branches 0 c,the middle pieces a at having a groove cut in them, so that they may fitclosely around the coil F, so as to prevent any want of continuity inthe appliance. Knobs or buttons, with rounded-off edges and screwed onthe ends E E, serve to prevent the. parts from coming off. It issufficient, therefore, for placing the collar or appliance in positionto draw the extremities E E apart with the hands, so as to be able topass the appliance around the neck or part to which it is to be applied.The action of the spring 1* will then close it as soon as released, thusforming an.

automatic lock or fastening.

The employment of the device as described above fully solves thequestion of life-saving appliances. As when applied to the neck the headalone is kept above the water, the body may remain immersed in the wateras deeply as possible, which assures a maximum of the stability and alsoa maximum floating power.

Having now particularlydescribed and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is- 1. A life-saving appliance comprising a number of solidor hollow buoyant bodies having the shape of four-sided pyramids strungon a cord or wire and means for securing the appliance readily to theuser, said means holding the pyramids with their bases directedradiallyoutward whereby the appliance presents a bearing surfacc toextend around the neck and inclining upwardly and outwardlysubstantially as described.

2. A life-saving appliance of the kind described in which a number ofpyramid-shaped buoyant bodies are strung on a curved metal wire or striphaving a central spring-hinge substantially as described.

3. In combination the series of buoyant bodies having the shape offour-sided pyra mids and means engaging the bodies at a plurality ofpoints to prevent displacement of the bodies and to hold them with theirbases directed outwardly, substantially as described.

In witness whereofl have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

HUBERT DE W ILDE.

\Vitnesscs:

F. PARETTE, GREGORY PHELAN.

